Protect Your Home

Safety First

Most burglaries do not occur in the dead of night like most
people think. Instead, they tend to occur between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. when people
are at work. Thieves also strike when homes show obvious signs that no one is
there. So, while you are at work, always keep your doors and windows locked.
Also, if someone calls you and claims to be seeking information for a survey,
do not provide information about your schedule or daily life. They can use this
information to decipher when you will be away.

Use these suggestions to help protect your home while you
are away:

– Install motion sensor lightning around your home and garage.

– Place automatic times on your lights and set them for different times for different rooms.

– Do not leave your valuables such as jewelry, artwork or electronics sitting out in plain view. Hide these items in inconspicuous places such as old laundry detergent boxes.

– Place “Beware of Dog” and home alarm signs in your yard. Even if you do have a dog or an alarm, this may deter potential thieves from trying to enter.

– Alert friends and neighbors when you will be away for an extended period of time so that they can look out for suspicious behavior.

– Have a neighbor shovel or mow your grass if you will be away for a few days. This will give the impression that someone is at home.

– Put a hold on your newspaper if you go on vacation.

– Never leave information about how long you will be gone on your answering machine.

– Contact your local police department to request that an officer visit your home to evaluate how secure it is and offer some improvements.